Is it reasonable for France to have a second aircraft carrier when its defence budget does not even come up to the NATO standard of 1.7 per cent of GDP? Will France give priority to this instrument that has had so much media coverage or decide to fill the serious gaps that raise questions over the operational effectiveness and credibility of its Armed Forces in equally essential areas such as unit training, strategic and tactical mobility and intelligence?
Is the Second Aircraft Carrier a Priority for France's Defence?
The construction of a second aircraft carrier is one of the rare subjects in the defence field which gets some coverage in the press. The suggestion is that our security depends on this programme, which its advocates promote as being the symbol of our power in 2015.
In reality, the real issue today is whether the construction of a second carrier is a priority, bearing in mind the threats, the financial resources which the nation allocates to its defences, and the serious deficiencies–even capability gaps–which threaten the credibility of our Armed Forces and, on occasion, even the lives of our servicemen in the field.
A Difficult Environment and Financial Constraints
The transformation of the international situation and the development of new technologies over the past 15 years are driving non-stop adaptation and transformation, particularly in the defence field. Threats have changed radically, but they have not disappeared: they have taken on new forms. Others are appearing with the emergence of new powers. Today, our Armed Forces must be able to act effectively in different types of asymmetric conflict which are often long drawn-out, and at the same time prepare themselves (particularly by exploiting intelligence) for tomorrow’s threats.
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